absolute continuance without an interval. knowledge which the redeemed must have, Shall all 11esh oome to worahip before me and which may well produce a salutary (comp. Ps. lxv. 2). The prophet still uses effect on them, intensifying their gratitude habitual mo,les of expression, though speak- and maintaining in them a spirit of reverent ing of a time and circumstances to which fear. Their worm shall not die, neither shall they are no longer appropriate. "The literal their fire be qnenohed (comp. Mark ix. 44, meaning," as Dr. Pusey says ('Prophecy of 46, 48). It cannot be by chance that the Jesus,' p. 39), "was physically impossible." evangelical prophet concludes his glorious "All flesh," in all regions of the "new prophecy with this terrible note of warning. earth," could not worship in one spot, "and Either he was divinely directed thus to so it was plain that Isaiah spoke of a terminate his teaching, or he felt the need worship other than that at any given place" that there was of his emphasizing all the many -of a worship such as that whereof our Lord warnings dispersed throughout bis "book" spoke to tbe Samaritan woman, "Woman, by a final, never-to-be-forgotten picture. The believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall undying worm and the quenchless fire- neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, images introduced by him-became appro- worship the Father" (John iv. 21). priated thenceforth to the final condition of Ver. 24.-And they shall go forth, and impenitent sinners (Jud. xvi. 17; Ecclus. look upon the carcases, etc. Here is more vii. 17), and were even adopted by our Lord imagery, which it is impossible to understand himself in the same connection (Mark ix.). literally. The carcases could not remain 'fbe incongruity of the two images shows always to be looked at, nor while they re- that they are not to be understood lit~rally ; mained could the sight of them be other- but both alike imply everlasting continu- wise than loathsome to God's redeemed ance, and are incompatible with either of saints. Again, they could not be at the the two modem heresies of universalism or same time burnt with fire and eaten by annihilationism. They shall be an abhor- worms. " The prophet, by the very mode ring unto all 11.esh (comp. Dan. xii. 2, where of description adopted by him, precludes the the word deraon is rendered " con tempt"). possibility of our conceiving of the thing set The Jewish rabbis regarded it as anomalous forth as realized in any material form in that any portion of Scripture should con- this present state. He is speaking of the clude with words of ill omen. When, there- future state, but in figurea drawn from the fore, this chapter wns read in the synagogue, present world " (Delitzsch). Does he mean or the last of Eccle~iaetes, or Lamentutions, more than this-that the redeemed shall or Malachi, they directed that after the have in their thoughts, at any rate from reading of the last verse, the last verse bat time to time, the fact that, while they have one should he repented, to correct the sad by God's great mercy been saved and brought impression that would otherwise ho.ve been into his kingdom, there are those who have left upon the mind. But Isaiuh thought it not been saved, but lie for ever under the salutary to leave this sad impression (comp. awful sentence of God's wrath? This is a eh. xlviii. 22; !vii. 21).
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-God to be worshipped in buildings, though no building can be worthy of liim. Of a surety, God "dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts vii. 48) in any such sense as to be accessible in such places exclusively. There is truth, as well as grandeur, in the words- " My altars a.re the mountaina, and the ocerm, Earth, air, sea, all that springs from the Great Whole, Who hath produced, and will receive, the soul" And it le al\Vays to be borne in mind that we are in his presence everywhere; that he may be worshipped everywhere; that "the heaven and the heaven of heavers cannot contain hi111" (2 Chron. ii. 6); that he inhabits all space, as he inhabits all .eternity (eh. !vii. 15). But, in condescension to the infirmity of human nature, he has been pleased in all ages that men should build him "houses," and has condescen~-ed, in a certain sense, to localize himself therein. At Sinai he gave exact and most elaborate commands for the construction of the tabernacle and its appurtenances (Exod. xxv.- xxx.) To David he communicated by his Spirit "the pattern" of the first temple- " of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasmies thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, anli of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy-seat, (90 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oa. LXVI.1-24.